Chaka Khan To Receive Honors At The 2011 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Awards

New York City - Songwriters Hall of Fame Chairman Jimmy Webb announced that Chaka Khan will be the 2011 recipient of the prestigious Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award at the Annual Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 16 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

"Chaka Kahn's signature voice and unique vision have influenced the sound of popular music in a way that has endured," commented Chairman Webb. "We are proud to bestow this well-deserved honor upon her."

Music icon Chaka Khan is legendary for her all-powerful voice, show stopping stage presence and fearless style. The soul singer/songwriter has won 10 Grammys® and countless other awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award from both BET and the World Music Awards, as well as the prestigious UNCF Award of Excellence for her outstanding accomplishments in the music industry. Her albums have received platinum and gold recognition and throughout her career, she has collaborated with artists such as Prince, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, Steve Winwood, Michael McDonald, Rod Stewart, and and Mary J. Blige.

Khan burst onto the music scene in the 1970s as the lead singer in the multi-racial band Rufus. Early on Khan caught the eye of Stevie Wonder who penned the band's first hit, "Tell Me Something Good," which won a Grammy® in 1975 for Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus. Rufus continued to dominate the airwaves with chart toppers such as "Once You Get Started," "Everlasting Love," "Do You Love What You Feel?," "Ain't Nobody" and "Sweet Thing," which received the Most Played Song Award in 1995 at the ASCAP Pop Awards.

In 1978 Khan broke out as a solo artist with the smash hit "I'm Every Woman" and had continued success with songs such as "Papillon," "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me?" and "I Feel For You." Her music has appeared on a number of movie soundtracks including "Clockers," "Miami Vice," "Bridget Jones' Diary," "27 Dresses," "Deliver Us from Eva" and "Madea's Family Reunion." In 2007, Khan released her 23rd studio album; "Funk This," which won Grammys® for Best R&B Album and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for her duet with Mary J. Blige on "Disrespectful." Khan co-headlined the sold-out "Here Comes the Girls" tour in 2009 with recording artists Anastacia and Lulu.

She established the Chaka Khan Foundation in 1999 with the mission to educate, inspire and empower children in the Los Angeles community to achieve their full potential by providing academic counsel and programming. In 2003, she released her autobiography, "Chaka! Through the Fire" and in 2008 made her Broadway debut as Sofia in "The Color Purple." Khan will receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 19, 2011.

The Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award, named after one of the SHOF's distinguished founders, is specifically tailored for artists or "star makers" in the music industry who have been responsible for a substantial number of hit songs for an extended period, and who recognize the importance of songs and their writers. Examples of previous Hitmaker Award recipients include Clive Davis, Garth Brooks, Chuck Berry, Whitney Houston, Michael Bolton, Gloria Estefan, Diana Ross, Sir Tom Jones and Phil Ramone.

Inductees at this year's event include John Bettis, Garth Brooks, Leon Russell, Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, and Allen Toussaint. The prestigious Johnny Mercer Award will be presented to
Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and Drake will receive the celebrated Hal David Starlight Award.

Ticket InformationTickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event begin at $1,000 each and are available through Buckley Hall Events, at 212-573-6933. Net proceeds from the event will go toward the Songwriters Hall of Fame programs.